Seasons of Sorrow - A Fire Emblem CYOA

by CDM6

SoS is a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure style story. It is set in the world of Awakening, hundreds of years in the future. Voting is taking place on another site - as the story advances, chapters will be added here as well. The story follows the life of a young farm girl. After her village is attacked, she finds herself working as a mercenary for the Holy Knights.

30. Chapter 21 - Silent Hills

Chapter 21: Silent Hills

The march towards Meridia is much more tiring than you expected. You crest one hill, only to find a larger one on the other side. At the same time, the plains are gradually giving way to thicker and thicker patches of trees with narrowing trails. It doesn't help that you chose a route to avoid any major villages. You can tell you're making much less progress than normal, and you begin to wonder if you'll make it in time to meet up with Doran. What happens if we're late...?

When you break for lunch on the second day of your march, you suddenly realize something. The hills surrounding you are devoid of any animal noise. No birds, no insects, no howls in the distance. The only thing you can hear is the occasional whisper of the wind as it passes through the ever-thickening trees. While you eat, no one seems willing to break the quiet. John is constantly fidgeting, and Mary doesn't seem much happier. You notice Zephyr's fur standing on-end, though if he's nervous he hides it well.

The second night, you approach your destination. When you can't find signs of Doran's team, you send out a small scout party to get the lay of the lands. According to your maps, there should be a large river running along the border, separating Meridia from Carcina. On the far side of the river, a sizable village. The only reliable path over the river is a thick stone bridge, 400 feet long, and just wide enough for two carts to pass, but only barely. You check a few maps of the surrounding areas. A half-mile downstream, the river narrows and a few older, rickety robe bridges span its gaps. They may be less-heavily guarded, so you send a few of your less-stealthy troops to investigate them.

You've chosen a hilltop half a mile from the bridge. You'll be able to see any scouts coming before they see you. Your forces start to report in as the rest of you finish setting camp for the night. Alyssa reports several small patrols moving up and down the length of the bridge. She didn't risk trying to get all the way across, but she was able to see signs of an encampment on the far side, more than just the village itself. A few barricades littering the bridge will make passing slower, but they aren't numerous enough to affect your cavalry.

Charon led the investigation of the robe bridges, along with Zephyr and Sherry. You're just about to send Mary to look for him when he returns. "Not a soul as far as I could see!" he reports.

"I could hear something moving on the far side of the bridge, so I didn't let him cross," Zephyr answers.

"And I wouldn't let him cross!" Sherry tells you. "As soon as we got there, this furball tried to dart across!"

"Er... Good work," you tell her. "What shape were those bridges in? How many were they? How big?"

"Right, sorry. River gets a lot narrower that way, probably a third of what it is here. But the bridges themselves, they've seen better days. A few were missing planks, two had fallen into the river. Three looked like they would work for a crossing, but..." he glances over your shoulder. You follow his gaze to see Rosalin. "Maybe some of our... heavier units should stay behind."

"We definitely couldn't bring the carts or horses across, then..."

You consider the options. You're still a day early. It wouldn't hurt to wait until the next day, when Doran's supposed to arrive. You could take advantage of the dark to attack - no guarantee the enemy won't find you before tomorrow night. There's the rope bridges to the south, but if they're as bad as Charon says...

(A) Wait until morning to see if conditions improve
(B) Attack the main bridge head-on
(C) Attempt to cross the rope bridges and attack now (Paen, Rosalin, Cecil, Bud, and all non-flying mounts must stay behind)
(D) Tactician: Send some troops across the rope bridges tonight to attack the enemy from behind tomorrow (available: June, Haley, Wendy, Ferris, Jessup, Alyssa, Dan, John, Mary, Charon, Claudia, Zephyr, Sherry)

"Too risky..." you mutter to yourself. "I want to send some people across those smaller bridges, attack from both sides at once, but I'm sure they've thought of that. We're going to wait for Doran's force, then... Well, we'll cross that bridge once we see what kind of shape they're in."

"Hm," Paen grunts.

You set a patrol schedule, multiple people up at once, just in case the enemy discovers you. Everyone sleeps with their weapons close at hand. You take the last watch. When Bud shakes you awake, you have to stop yourself from attacking.

A low, thick fog's rolled in, and you can't see anything below it. The bridge is well less than a mile away, but you can't even see all the way to the bottom of the hill your camp is on. All you can see is the top of a few neighboring hills and a handful of particularly tall trees. You take to walking circles around the hill, halfway down and just inside the fog. You aren't really sure how you can hope to fight in this. At least this fog's hiding us as well. You realize this means Doran's group might not see you, either. You're so distracted thinking of ways you could attract his attention without alerting the enemy, you don't notice your troops starting to rise until everyone's already up.

You stumble back up the hill. Everyone keeps glancing around nervously, peering into the fog.

"Well, this is inconvenient," Paen growls. "I can't kill them if I can't see them."

"The sun should burn the fog away in a few hours," Mary tells you.

"So, what do we do until then?" Charon asks. "Sit around and chat?"

(A) Continue to wait, step up patrols
(B) Send your quieter units to try to clear the bridge with the fog as cover (Alyssa, Mary, John, Charon, Zephyr)
(C) Attack the bridge head-on
(D) Cross the rope bridges

"We'll send a small team in under the cover of the fog. The main group will stay back," you announce. "Alyssa, Mary, Charon... hm... John, and Zephyr. Sneak onto the bridge, take out as many as you can. Once you're discovered, call for the rest of us."

"Are you coming with us?" Alyssa asks, gesturing to the knife tucked away in your sleeve.

(A) Join the attack
(B) Stay with the main group (choose a commander)

You slip the knife from your sleeve, feeling its weight. You're still not completely comfortable with it, but knives feel more familiar than they used to. "I'll lead the strike team," you announce. "Paen, hold the main group back. Be ready to back us up if we're in trouble."

"Naturally," he answers.

With your strike team leading the way, you bring the main group to the bridge. You leave them hiding just behind the crest of the nearest hill and slip into the fog.

As you approach, the bridge's frame suddenly erupts into view. A large, stone structure jutting out across the river, you can't make out the other side. You can, however, hear the water rushing down below as it weaves along the bridge's supports. You strain your ears, and can vaguely hear the sound of footsteps further down the bridge. Between the fog and a series of tall barricades barring the way, you can't see the noise's source.

You take your first hesitant step onto the bridge, your shoes clacking a bit louder than you would like. Alyssa stops you before you can take a second, kneeling down and tracing a thin wire. She sneaks to the bridge's edge and peers over. Coming back, she whispers in your ear. "Noisemaker." You gather your dress, making sure to hoist it clear of the wire as you step over. Alyssa stays knelt down, helping the rest of your group over, while you cautiously advance forward, careful for any more traps.

The first set of barricades loom ahead. It looks like one large one in the front, with two smaller ones back and to the sides, forcing any attackers to move in two at a time and stopping any hope of a cavalry charge. Some kind of wood, though you can't tell what kind from here, though it looks thick. You keep moving forward, hunched low, knife in one hand, the other on your hatchet's handle.

Suddenly, a form steps out from behind the front barricade. His armor's color marks him as a Meridian soldier. He isn't facing directly towards you - he seems to be walking towards the edge of the bridge. He doesn't show any signs that he's seen you.

(A) Stay still and wait
(B) Rush him with your knife
(C) Throw your hatchet

You freeze up. The soldier keeps walking left, to the edge of the bridge. You hear him spit. He then folds his arms and leans against the side of the bridge, staring off into the distance. His back is to the center barricade - this is your chance to take him out, or maybe you can slip around him. You could go back to get the others, but you may be passing up on a golden opportunity...

(A) Go around the barricade to the left, attack the soldier
(B) Go around the barricade to the right, look around
(C) Go over the barricade because you like terrible ideas
(D) Go back and wait for the others

You decide to err on the side of caution and slowly back away until the soldier fades into the mist. The rest of your group has finished crossing the wire. You gather them around you, briefly tracing the situation on the stone bridge. It takes two or three repetitions before everyone nods in understanding.

The paths around the barricade is only wide enough for you to pass in single file, so you need to choose the two people who'll lead around either side.

Top two votes win (two votes/voter):

(A) June
(B) Mary
(C) John
(D) Zephyr
(E) Alyssa
(F) Jessup

You signal for Alyssa to take the left side, while you go around the right. The others follow few steps behind.

The soldier is no longer leaning against the side of the bridge. You can only assume he's moved behind the barricade again. You stop at the edge of the barrier, waiting for Alyssa. "I'm so sick of this fog," you hear a voice murmuring on the other side. As soon as Alyssa signals she's ready, you both whirl around. You nearly slam into the soldier right on the other side. A pair of them were standing, facing each other. Now they both jump back, trying to signal the other to turn around. Alyssa catches her target, wrapping an arm over his mouth and reaching around to stab him in the chest. When he doesn't fall the first time, she frees her blade to strike again.

You grab his partner by the back of his helmet, pulling his head back and exposing his throat. His shout is silenced by the sudden yank, and you step around to plant your knife through his neck. He slumps to his knees before you can catch him, his armor clanging loudly on the stone. You catch him before he can fall further, with Zephyr stepping up to help you. Alyssa glares at you as she carefully lowers her target to the ground.

You stare into the mist for several seconds, expecting an alarm to be raised, but nothing happens. Your group breathes a collective sigh of relief. They fall in behind you as you continue your march. Another small set of barricades bar your path, these ones left unguarded. A few more steps reveals only an empty bridge as far as you can see - admittedly, not very far, but you reckon you can see almost to the halfway mark. "I never made it this far investigating last night," Alyssa warns you. Cautiously, you continue forward.

You've only gone a few steps when you slip. You manage to catch yourself, but no notice your dress is damp where it brushed against the bridge. Kneeling down, you inspect the bridge closer, and you can detect a faint odor you hadn't noticed before. Some kind of oil? You signal the others to back up, retreating until you're back onto dry stone.

"They've coated part of the bridge in oil," you whisper. "I bet they've got a few fire mages waiting on the other side of the bridge."

"It'd be a problem if they set that off in a battle," Alyssa reasons. "They could cut off part of our army. Plus, their archers would have an advantage, being able to see anyone around the blaze while we're firing blind. I bet those soldiers we killed were supposed to light it as a signal or something."

"We could burn it off," John suggests.

"And that would be the end of our scouting," Mary concludes. "We'd eliminate one trap, but who knows what else they have beyond it?"

"But if anyone sees us and they light the bridge on fire, we'll be cut off from everyone else until it goes out!" Jessup adds, clearly unsettled.

"How long would it burn for?" you ask no one in particular. No one volunteers an answer.

(A) Light the oil, retreat to rejoin the main force
(B) Risk continuing past the trap

"Time to fall back. We're going to set off this trap. Once the fire's burned itself out, we can press the attack."

"Alright. So, let's light it up!" Zephyr says, louder than you would have liked.

"Jessup?" Alyssa asks. He nods, taking out a fire tome. "Alright everyone, be ready to run, just in case."

"We're about to kick the hornet's nest," Mary points out.

Jessup unleashes 3 small orbs. They form a small orbit over a vacant expanse of bridge, then he hurls another orb into their center. A pillar of flame erupts, and the oil follows suit, unleashing a wave of flame. You waste no time falling back to the head of the bridge. Paen will have seen that, you think to yourself.

You can hear shouting from the other end of the bridge. "The beacon!" a voice calls out. "To arms! Archers, at the ready!"

From the end of the bridge you can see the center of the bridge through the fog, clearly illuminated by the flame. Already, the fire is starting to subside.

Paen wastes no time bringing the rest of your force to meet your team. "Glad to see you're alright, Girlie. I was almost worried you'd fallen into a trap for a minute."

"You were 'almost worried' about me? How sweet," you answer.

"Enough flirting, you two. We have a battle to win," Mary admonishes. Paen shoots her a dirty look. Claudia chokes back a laugh.

"Right, right. Plenty of time for that later," Paen agrees. "So, how do we go about this..."

"If we walk out onto the bridge, we're sitting ducks for their archers. Even after the fire's gone and the fog can hide our approach, they just need to fire blindly to be be a pain," Cecil tells you.

"The fog's still pretty think," Claudia points out. "We may be able to ambush them from the sky, if we fly low over the river."

"Archers," you remind them. You notice Wendy touch her new Delphi shield worriedly. I wonder if that thing works...

(A) Have fliers attack the enemy while you cross
(B) Have fliers draw fire while you cross, but avoid getting too close
(C) Keep fliers back while your troops cross
(D) Tactician: Spend several rounds ferrying your troops to the other bank, well downstream from the enemy camp, attack from the side

If not voting for D:
(1) Move across the bridge slowly and cautiously to avoid possible traps
(2) Hurry across the bridge, but maintain formation
(3) Rush across as fast as possible, ignoring formation

First wave: Alyssa, June, Jessup

You decide a frontal assault would be foolish, considering the bridge is obviously trapped and archers are waiting to start picking you off. "Wendy, Claudia, Dan, I need you to start carrying people across the river. We'll land a ways downstream, hopefully they won't catch on to what we're doing just yet."

"Hit them from the side, maybe catch them off-guard. Best of all, we'll have room to move around," Paen agrees.

"It's risky, though. If the enemy notices before we get everyone over..." Cecil begins.

"I don't think it's any riskier than walking across that bridge through a rain of arrows," you answer. "And we stand to gain a much better position."

"We'll have to leave the horses," Haley points out.

"Anna can handle 'em, not like we'll be bringin' her wagon across just yet," Bud says. "So, who's goin' first?"

"I will," you answer. "Alyssa, I'll need your eyes over there. And... Jessup? I'd like to have a healer."

Alyssa looks hesitant. "Well, at least he'll be where I can keep an eye on him," she finally concedes. "Let's get this over with."

"Don't worry. We'll be right behind you," Paen reassures them as he helps Jessup onto a wyvern. "I'll stay back for now, make sure they don't try anything on this end."

You hop up behind Wendy and her mount catapults into the sky, then dives. In this fog, you hadn't realized just how much of a drop it was from the river down to the riverbank - far enough to hurt, even falling into water. The manitcore skims the river's surface as it turns downstream, letting a stream of water slap against you. Looking around, you can vaguely see the shadows of Claudia and Dan staying low in the fog as well. "Alright, this is far enough," you tell Wendy after what you estimate to be a few hundred feet. "Drop us off." Wendy turns her mount sharply, shooting up the sheer face on the other side. You watch to make sure Dan and Claudia follow.

Immediately after landing, you ask Alyssa if she noticed anything. She shakes her head. "I think I can make out a few tents, but the fog's still too thick."

"Good thing for us," Jessup adds.

You nod in agreement, then jump down, trying not to make too much noise, just in case the enemy has scouts around. Straining to see as far as you can, you can make out a few trees further from the riverbank, but not enough to provide much cover. Most of the ground is clear, if a bit softer than you're used to. "We'll settle here and wait for you to finish bringing the others."

"Right. Who's next?" Dan asks.

---

Charon, Sherry, Zephyr

You think for a minute. "I want Sherry close by, so bring her over next. Zephyr, as well. And... Charon."

"Got it," Dan says, already bringing Shard around. The three fliers leap leap over the cliff, the mist swallowing them immediately. You start trying to estimate how long it will take for your allies to get back. You have Alyssa watch for any troops coming from the enemy camp, while Jessup watches the opposite direction. You head for the handful of trees, take a quick look around, and find no one. When you return to the pair, you assume your fliers should be arriving back at the head of the bridge.

"See anything?" you ask to no one in particular.

"Just fog," Jessup tells you.

"I think I can make out the outline of the enemy's camp."

"Where?" You step beside her. She points, and you follow her finger. After a few seconds, parts of the fog start to look a tiny bit darker than the rest. "I see it. That'll help when it's time to attack," you tell her.

You return to a nervous silence for a few seconds when a loud noise cuts through the mist. You recognize it as a wolf's howl. You aren't sure exactly how far a howl can carry, but it was coming from the direction of the bridge. Wolves? We haven't seen any animals around here...

There isn't much you can do from here, except wait. You start considering your options - you could try to fight through the enemy camp, or you could head for the rope bridges. You don't know exactly how far they are, but based on how long Charon's scouting trip was, quite a ways. By the time you could make it there, cross, and get back to the head of the bridge... No, you need to stay where you are and trust Paen's command.

After a few agonizing minutes, you hear wingbeats. Wendy's manticore suddenly crests the riverbank, overshooting you by only a few feet. "Told you he could find it," she announces to a very shaken Charon. He practically rolls off its back, turning to give it a few hesitant pats before backing away very quickly. Dan and Claudia land, letting Sherry and Zephyr scramble down. Sherry and Zephyr look a bit confused, but no more than you feel.

"Good news," Claudia announces, unusually cheerful. "Guess who finally decided to join the party?"

"Doran's team finally arrived?" you ask.

"His forward scouts, at least. The rest of them should show up in a few minutes," Dan explains.

"Better late than never," Charon says.

You nod in agreement. "That is good news. But the reunion's going to have to wait. We've still got a job to do."

"Right," Claudia agrees. "So, who do you want next?"

---

Fumiko, Harrow, Praven

"Send Fumiko, Harrow, and Praven. And tell everyone I said hello."

"Will do," Wendy answers, already turning to leave.

As the three head out yet again, you turn to the group that's already crossed. "Alright, we've got some reinforcements, but that doesn't really help us over here just yet. Keep a sharp eye out." You keep waiting for a shape to appear in the fog, for an enemy guard to call out an alarm, but nothing happens until you finally here the flap of wings approaching again. The first to appear is again Wendy. Praven wordlessly dismounts Wendy's manticore, thanking it with a polite bow. He's may be the first person besides Wendy that's not to scared of that thing. A pegasus landing near you snaps you out of your thoughts. Even in the fog, you can tell who it is instantly. "Rain!" you call out.

She flaps for a second, disoriented and scanning your group. She sweeps past you, then realizes her mistake and snaps back. "June? Is that you? I didn't recognize you in that... um... is that a wedding dress?"

"Long story short, I picked up some magic flowers," you explain.

"Oh, so you didn't run off and... nevermind. I see we have some new faces?" Rain asks.

"Are you planning to introduce us?" Holland asks. You were so excited to see Rain again, you didn't notice him riding behind her.

"Right, sorry. Rain, Holland, this is Sherry and Zephyr." You guide the two in front of you as the wyverns make their landing. Sherry gives a polite wave while Zephyr grins. "Sherry's from Tartan's guard, and Zephyr here... well, you can see he's a taguel. It's a bit of a long story."

"Pleased to meet you!" Rain says with a smile. "I'm Rain, Holy Knight captain. This is Holland, my husband, and over there is Master Praven of Terranus."

Praven waves her off. "No need for such formalities on the battlefield."

Harrow springs off Dan's pegasus. "I believe you met Harrow briefly," Rain begins. If you hadn't pulled him in front of you, you may have missed Zephyr's ears twitching and his slight backstep. He's so focused on Harrow, he doesn't notice Fumiko dismounting until Rain introduces her. "And this is Fumiko."

Zephyr snaps his head towards Fumiko, then lets out a small squeal, jumping behind Sherry. "T-there's more of you...!?" he asks, clearly panicked.

Fumiko stops mid-stride, confused. "Ah...? Oh! Taguel?" Zephyr nods slightly. "I haven't seen one of your kind in ages! Don't worry, deary, I don't much care for rabbit meat."

"Rabbit meat...?" you hear Harrow mutter. Her tail wags slightly.

Rain clears her throat loudly. "Yes, well, no one's going to eat anyone, I assure you. Let's get back to the task at hand."

Sherry laughs a bit as she frees herself from Zephyr's grip. "They're going to eat me..." you hear Zephyr muttering under his breath. You step around the pair to Rain's side.

"Right. How much do you know about the situation?" you ask.

"Paen filled us in as best he could. Doran's made a few changes to your plan. The fog's starting to lift, and he doesn't want to risk losing the element of surprise." You glance over at the enemy camp. The light-grey smears have become darker grey blobs - you hadn't noticed, but the fog does seem to be getting thinner. "We could keep ferrying people over, but he's worried that might take too much time. Every trip's going to increase the odds we're discovered," Rain explains.

"So, he wants to attack from both sides?" you venture.

Holland picks up where Rain left off. "Basically. He's got a surprise ready that should get the enemy's attention - that's our cue to attack. When we hit them in the side, they'll start crossing the bridge. If everything goes according to plan, they'll be reinforcing us just as the enemy's recovering from our charge, and we'll hit them from both sides."

"I see... It's a bit risky. The bridge has some barricades and booby-traps," you answer, hesitantly.

"That surprise I told you about? Doran plans to set the bridge... well, on fire, more or less. That should clear it up a bit," Rain answers, smiling mischievously.

"On fire?" you ask, surprised.

"On fire," Rain states matter-of-factly. "Doran's going to wait a few minutes, in case you object to the plan - plenty of time for me to get back and stop him. Otherwise, everything is ready to go."

(A) Agree with the plan
(B) Agree, but bring in one more load of people (choose 4)
(C) Continue ferrying the whole group over (I'll pick people at random so we aren't here all day)
(D) Custom plan

You think for a second before nodding. "I like the plan. Let's get in position."

Your fliers, Holland, and Praven stay far back while you lead the rest closer. You creep towards to the enemy camp until Charon signals you to stop. "It's too risky to go much further," he whispers. Alyssa nods in agreement, and you let yourself sink lower to the ground. The dew stubbornly clinging to the grass leaves you damp, and you worry it may create a slipping hazard.

It feels strange, hiding in the open, concealed only by fog, the enemy maybe 100 feet away. Fortunately, they all seem too focused on the bridge to notice your group coming from the sides. They're grimly silent. You overhear the commander trying to raise their spirits. "Just hang in there a bit longer. Help's on the way. Just don't let them cross the bridge until they get here."

Reinforcements? You size up the enemy force. Much smaller than you expected - while waiting, you have time to thoroughly count them. Twenty snipers, ten marshals, and six red-cloaked sages, all led by a mountain knight on a massive horse. Their front line barely covers the whole width of the bridge, though their archers are armed with longbows and a pair of ballistae - with the bottleneck of the bridge, enough to hold off a much larger force.

No one seems to notice your group, until Doran finally puts his plan into action. Even across the bridge, you can clearly recognize his voice. "Burn a path!"

Suddenly, a wall of erupts on the far side of the bridge and begins to race along its surface. You trace it back to its source - a massive red dragon, charging above the bridge. Even know he's on your side, you slink back in surprise as the beast hurtles in your general direction. Sherry lets out a small squeak of surprise, and you hear Zephyr mumbling something else about being eaten. "G-gods..." Jessup swears under his breath. Harrow, now changed into her bestial form, nuzzles you as she steps forward. You remember whose side the dragon is on, and how important it is to take advantage of this moment.

You start charging forward, forgoing any battle cry. The enemy are all mesmerized by the flames, though the enemy commander has the sense to get his men moving again. "A-archers! Volley! Fire now!" Twenty men suddenly unfreeze, swinging their bows up. Only a few arrows take flight before the dragon breaks his charge and dives beneath the bridge, using it as cover. The bridge's barricades are now aflame, and you're halfway there. Across the bridge, you can make out a few forms beginning to cross the bridge.

"Keep an eye out, all directions! He could attack from anywhere!" The enemy commander brings his horse around, and you suddenly find him staring straight at you. "Yes! The reinforcements are... W-wait!" Twenty feet. Only twenty feet separate you from the commander, with his lines of archers and mages close behind. Everyone is keeping pace with you - some intentionally slowing themselves - aside from Charon and Sherry, who fell a bit behind the rest. Your fliers should be closing in as well, with Holland hanging back to protect Praven at your rear.

You're in the enemy camp now. There isn't much cover if the enemy archers decide to loose at you - nothing except a few large tents you could duck behind. A few of the archers and a mage are swinging around to face you, but most are still focused on the bridge. Their marshals won't be able to reach you until they've waded through the clump of ranged units. You should be able to close the distance and hit them first, but you aren't sure how effectively they'll manage to counterattack - though they do seem to be reacting slowly. Doran's front-runners are already about a third of the way across.

The mountain knight draws a silver blade and levels it at you.

(A) Deal with their commander personally, let your allies attack the archers
(B) Rush past the commander, focus on the archers
(C) Duck into cover behind the tents, try to force the enemy to break formation and come to you
(D) Full retreat, you just needed to get their attention

"Go! I've got him!"

Zephyr, Fumiko, Alyssa, and Harrow race past you. The enemy commander starts to bring his horse around to follow them, but stops short as your hatchet clangs off his helmet. The blow doesn't penetrate the armor, but it still forces him to turn back and face you. Your hatchet reappears in your hand. His armor's tough,you think to yourself. You decide it's time to stop saving your trump card. Wordlessly, you let your hatchet fall from your hand. Instead, you reach for the handle of the massive battleaxe slung across your back. As you touch it, you feel a wave of heat surge from your hand through your entire body.

The mountain knight doesn't wait for you to finish. His horse rears, and he points his sword to the sky. With a flourish, he swings it around. "HA!" In one motion, his horse lunges past you and his blade finds your side. The force of the blow sends you to one knee.

You look down, expecting to find a mortal wound. Instead, you find the slash hasn't even pierced your dress, and you aren't bleeding - it only knocked the wind out of you. Looking up, you allow yourself a quick glance at the battlefield before you turn to face the commander.

A few of the snipers forced their way through the wall of marshals and onto the bridge, preferring to face your charging reinforcements than your laguz. Fumiko is locked in a duel with one of the sages, the pair trading fireballs. Harrow sidesteps one sniper's arrow while sinking her fangs into another sniper's arm. Zephyr kicks off one archer, launching himself at another. You can't find Alyssa until one of the sages falls over, dead. Rain, Dan, Claudia, and Wendy are swooping in to join the fight and you can see Doran's team approaching the halfway point on the bridge. As you turn to face the commander, Sherry, Jessup, and Charon pass by on their way to the melee.

The commander is visibly shocked to see you standing. He stares at your side, where you both expected to find a large wound. Not giving him time to recover, you finish pulling the axe from your back. Holding Armads in both hands, the heat intensifies. It's heavier than any axe you've ever held, but you hold it with ease. You realize, despite the blow you just took, you're smiling. You take a step forward, hesitantly, and then another. Then you break into a run, swinging Armads over your head. The commander tries to dodge, leaning to the side as you swing. Your blow barely strikes his upper arm, but it bites clean through his armor. He yells in pain barely managing to keep in the saddle. He swings his sword in a counterattack, but you let your momentum carry you clear. You lash out again, grazing his armor and leaving a large scratch along the leg. He chops, and you catch his sword with Armads, shoving against his blow.

As he turns around to face you again, you swing around with a fierce horizontal cut. It catches him in the chest, knocking him backwards from his mount. The horse takes off running. You ignore it, expecting the commander to pick himself up. Instead, blood begins spilling from a massive gash in his armor. He coughs, weakly raises a hand, then it falls limp. You wait a second, in case he starts moving again. When he stays still, you return Armads to its sling, grab your hatchet, and rejoin the fight.

The few archers that didn't escape are all but gone, their longbows serving poorly in close combat. The sages had driven your laguz back with their fire magic, until Harrow resumed human form to start healing. With the arrival of the rest of your team, the tide had shifted firmly in your favor. Now, Fumiko, Jessup, and Rain barrage the marshals with their magic while the rest of your team harries them. The marshals can't break formation to counterattack for fear of losing their last few archers, so they settle for a few poorly-placed spear throws. One almost his Sherry, but Zephyr, true to his word, is there to yank her out of the way. By the time you rejoin the fight, you find more use pulling out your heal staff and working on Harrow's wounds. You know it's not as clean a job as others could have done, but it stops the bleeding.

A pair of marshals fall as the front-runners of Doran's team are getting close. The snipers continue firing as fast as they can. Their shots earlier had been wild as they fired into the mist. Now that your allies are close enough to be visible, with just the last fourth of the bridge to go, the arrows start landing much closer. Ferris is on point, weaving between shots. Walt simply raises his shield every time one comes close. Bud tries to make his large frame as small as possible, running half-ducked. You see Mary duck one arrow, while a ghostly woman running next to her swats another from the sky with an axe... Charlotte? No, that's impossible...

Fumiko yelps in pain, and you force yourself not to think about it. A javelin is stuck in Fumiko's thigh, and you help Jessup pull it free. Instead of tending it, he waves his staff in the air. A familiar rescue rune appears as Praven pulls her from the front line. Jessup redoubles his attack, as if to make up for her absence.

You hear a loud splash in the river below, and you look over to the bridge. Mary dangles helplessly, halfway through a large hole in the bridge. Before anyone can react, the ground gives way below Charlotte's ghostly look-alike, though she manages to leap clear, though loses her balances. The enemy archers split their aim between the two targets. The ghost-woman is able to sidestep in time, but Mary is still focused on pulling herself up, leaving her top half completely exposed. Walt leaps in the way, bringing his shield up. Two arrows embed themselves in the shield - one looks like it may have hit his arm, but you aren't sure - while the rest bounce off harmlessly. Walt holds his position, deflecting another wave of arrows until Mary manages to lift herself.

"Pitfalls!" Bud calls back. "Watch out!" The next few people charging the bridge slow considerably.

Another marshal falls. The five survivors struggle to block the entirety of the bridge, with large gaps between them. The ten surviving snipers focus their fire on Doran's team, taking advantage of their slower pace.

(A) Rush the snipers, shove past the marshals
(B) Focus on the marshals first
(C) Send your fliers after the snipers, let your ground troops handle the marshals

You decide the best course of action is breaking through the enemy line as fast as possible, but your fliers would be at risk if you sent them in. Rain's magic lets her attack the marshals with some safety, and Wendy's shield lets her fight without worrying about archers. You call to Claudia and Dan. "Enemy reinforcements! Go find them!" While they turn to scout the rear, you charge towards the bridge. One of the marshals lunges at you with a spear as you approach. You swat it to the side with your axe, not breaking stride. You lower your shoulder and slam into the oversized knight. He isn't hurt, but he staggers back enough for your troops to slip through the line. Zephyr, Sherry, Alyssa, and Charon break through to attack the snipers, though Harrow doesn't react in time. The marshal slams his shield into you, knocking you back and reforming ranks. One of the marshals turns to help the snipers, but Fumiko's re-arrival prevents him.

You draw two of the marshals yourself. They try to time their attacks to keep you off-balance, but you manage to find a few opportunities to counter. Harrow squares off with the third, while Wendy and Fumiko deal with the others. Rain stays clear of the snipers, now that they're no longer focused on Doran's team, focusing on healing with her physic staff.

You manage to catch a few glimpses of the battle against the snipers. Alyssa has abandoned her knives, instead using her bow. Hers is working much better than the slower longbows at their range. Charon is spending his time on the defensive, trying to avoid arrow after arrow while occasionally stopping to apply some concoction. He doesn't manage to find any opportunities to fight back. Sherry and Zephyr fight together, or try to. She can't keep up with his attacks as he darts forward, strikes an enemy, and returns to her side. Sherry throws her javelins at the snipers that target Zephyr. You're surprised with her accuracy, though she doesn't seem to be doing much damage.

Fumiko finishes off her marshal with a burst of flames, then turns to help Wendy. Rain unleashes a bolt of lightning, knocking one of your attackers to the ground. Harrow takes the chance to join the others fighting the snipers. A loud squeal grabs your attention.

Sherry's fallen to one knee by the bridge's rail, a pair of arrows protruding from her chest. She barely holds herself up by leaning on her lance. Zephyr stands between her and the archers, fur bristling and fangs bared, squealing. To your surprise, Sherry starts to force herself to her feet. As she stands, a blue aura surrounds her. Suddenly, she disappears - pulled to safety by someone's rescue staff. You don't have time to worry about her, as the marshal takes advantage of the distraction to try to skewer you.

A blue wave strikes him in the back, and he falls to the ground. You finish him off before he can stand again. Mary flashes for a brief second as she begins dancing, and Ferris swings Ragnell again, this time cleaving a sniper. The axe-woman approaches another sniper, letting him shoot her as she closes the distance. She doesn't slow down, smashing into his knee with the flat of her axe, then following through with a downward smash as he falls. You notice a smear of blood appear on her forearm, though it doesn't seem to have splattered from her victim - it looks like a wound.

With the arrival of Doran's team, the remaining snipers quickly begin to fall. The dragon reappears beside you, raking his claws across the last marshal's armor. Up close, you get a better look at him. Large, red scales cover his body. He isn't as big as he appeared before - a trick of the mist? - but he's still almost twice your height. What catches your attention is his expression. He turns a yellow eye your way, and you could swear that he's smiling at you.

People begin arriving from three directions, all apparently looking for you. Claudia manages to get to you first, thanks to her wyvern's size forcing the others back as she lands. "Found them," she announces. "Fog's cleared up enough that we could see them. They're coming down the road." She points to the path leading straight from the bridge. You hadn't noticed while you were fighting, but the fog is much lighter than it was before. For the first time, you can see all the way across the bridge; it's smaller than you thought.

Holland is second, Sherry slung over his shoulder. Your heart skips a beat until you hear her protesting. "I can walk on my own! Put me down, already!"

Holland plops her down next to you. "Here you go, good as new. Praven fixed her up." He gives you a wink. "Figured I should bring her by so you'd stop worrying."

"Yes, well, if you're done parading me around, I need to go... patch up my armor or something," Sherry complains. You dismiss her with a nod and a smile.

Doran takes his time, making sure all the enemy's traps are being marked. When you wave for him, he cheerfully waves back. After he notices your expression, he drops his smile and picks up his pace. "Something wrong?" he asks, still several paces away.

"Enemy reinforcements," you answer.

"From where? How many?" he asks, all business.

You motion to Claudia. She points again. "They're coming from that way. Maybe two more minutes, unless they slowed down. At least five mage knights, twenty great knights - a few may have been mountain knights, didn't get a great look at them - with a handful of troubadours. Leader looked like a shadow knight."

"Good. That's good work, Claudia," Doran says, nodding. He steps around to call to the mass of people beginning to form in front of the bridge. "All right, troops, we aren't done yet! Enemy reinforcements incoming!" He turns back to you. "So, what's the plan? Is your group still good to go?"

You look around. Praven's rejoined your group. Mary is checking over Fumiko's leg; when she sees you, she flashes a quick thumbs-up. Sherry is sitting beside where she was injured, legs pulled to her chest, staring at the small pool of blood. Zephyr sits nearby, obviously unsure whether to approach her. Sherry shakes her head, pulls herself up, and starts walking to rejoin the line. The woman from before, with the arm wound, has already cleaned herself up with a vulnerary. You nod. "It looks like everyone's still good to fight," you answer. "By the way, that woman-"

"Is Charlotte," Doran answers before you can finish asking. "We're not... completely sure how she survived, but save it for later."

"Right," you answer. "Let's see..." You check the area around the bridge. The bridge itself has been cleared of barricades, except for a few pieces of charred wood marking pitfalls. The enemy is coming down a road passing between two hills. A few trees lie on the top of either hill, but you'd hardly call it a forest. Enough that you think each hill would hide a handful of units, even with the fog dissipating rapidly.

(A) Hold position and form ranks at the head of the bridge
(B) Hide units in the trees (choose 8) to attack the enemy's rear, use the main force as bait
(C) Pull your force back onto the bridge, behind the pits

1st Ambush team: Alyssa(Leader), Bud, Jessup, John
2nd Ambush team: Rain(Leader), Doran, Rosalin, Cecil

You wave Alyssa over. "Alyssa, take Bud, Jessup, and John up that hill. Rain! Take... Cecil, Rosalin, and... Doran, go with them."

"Just about what I was thinking," Doran agrees. "No time to waste, people!"

As your flanking teams make a mad dash for the cover of the hill, you start forming ranks in front of the bridge. You glance at the others. Maybe it's because you already know where to look, but the mist doesn't hide them as well as you expected. With the trees for added cover, you're fairly sure an unaware enemy will overlook them. Still... We need to grab their attention.

"Mages to the front! One volley, then drop back to the rear!" Anyone that can sling a spell joins you in the front. The dragon joins as well, taking its place to your left. You're surprised to see Ferris stepping up as well, but you don't question it. You ready your own bow as the sound of hoofbeats begins to echo through the hills. You scan the road ahead, until it disappears into a veil of fog.

"Here they come," the dragon hisses, his voice distorted by his transformation.

"Lead your target," you mutter. A mass of grey appears in the distance. All too quickly, it shapes itself into several mounted soldiers. "Take aim, and... fire!" you call. With your forces split, your barrage is hardly impressive. Paen hurls a gust of wind, Praven a lightning bolt, with a fireball each from Fumiko and Paen. Ferris swings his massive sword, unleashing another wave of energy. The shadow knight ducks your arrow, and it clatters uselessly to the ground. The combined magic of the rest of your group is enough to unseat one of the leading mountain knights, and he falls, only to be trampled by his allies. The dragon's timing is off, and he unleashes a small jet of flame as the rest of your group, aside from Paen and Mary, scramble to the rear.

Mary remains in the front of everyone else, even as the enemies close the gap. You see her chanting to cast some spell, but you start to consider hurling her backwards. Just as you decide to step in, she raises a hand. A dark disk opens just in front of her palm, rapidly expanding to beyond her size. Lightning crackles along the edge, though all you can see is a flat, purple plane. Suddenly, what looks like a tiny skeleton with an axe leaps out. Then another, and another. A half-dozen of the beasts launch themselves at the heart of the enemy formation as Mary retreats. As she slips past, you finally recognize the tome she wields - the Goetia.

With the enemy horde only a few yards away, you can hear their cries of alarm. Another of the mountain knights is grievously wounded when the phantoms surround him, hacking with axes. The five mage knights and the enemy commander stay calm, slowing their charge enough to hurl spells at the monsters. They vanish as suddenly as they appeared, though the wounds they inflicted remain.

You ready Armads in preparation for the enemy frontrunners. You're vaguely aware of a stream of arrows and spells issuing from the mountain side, but it's too late to completely break the enemy's charge, even as three of the troubadors fall in rapid succession. A mountain knight tries to charge over you, but you take a few steps forward and strike him first. Another cuts in through the side, only the be struck by one of Praven's lightning bolts.

Holland forces one knight into a stop, only to be sent sprawling by another. Sherry is the first to jump to his aide, thrusting her lance at the first of the knights. He swats her thrust aside, but she holds her ground against his attack, managing to deflect the worst of it. Zephyr cuts off the second knight, giving Sherry a fighting chance.

Harrow and Fumiko each stop a knight by tackling the riders from their mounts. The dragon draws a pair of mountain knights and a mage knight into attacking him, while Paen, refusing to be upstaged, blocks the enemy leader. Ferris baits one knight into charging off to one side, only for Haley to charge into his flank. Cynbel and Jayce are driven back, withdrawing to heal themselves. Charlotte meets one of the mage knights head-on, driving her axe into his mount before whirling around on the rider - again, you notice blood appearing where she wasn't wounded.

On the whole, the enemy's charge was broken. A few managed to cut their way through to your rear line, only to find Charon and Taika waiting to pick off anyone that made it through. Charon only manages to get himself wounded, but Taika gives as good as she gets, distracting the enemy while Praven drives them back. In the end, a few of the enemy's troops find themselves enveloped by your own. The enemy's rearline is torn to shreds, and the wounded enemy commander signals for a retreat. A single troubador, two mage knights, and two mountain knights manage to break free to follow him as he takes off hugging the river's edge. The rest are too wounded, too deep in your formation, or too dead to follow.

(A) Order a pursuit
(B) Clean up the corpses (from both battles) before they become Risen
(C) Split your force (choose pursuit units)

"It's not worth the risk. Let them go!" You call off the handful of troops that had been moving to pursue the retreating enemies. "We need to deal with these corpses before we have another fight on our hand."

No one argues, and your force starts destroying the fallen as Doran and Alyssa bring their teams back. Your friends use this chance to start catching up with each other after their week apart. While you wait for Doran to return, the dragon shifts back into his human form. You recognize him instantly - the boy you freed from Mihal's manor.

"You..." you begin, stunned. "You're that manakete from..."

His smirk vanishes suddenly. "Don't remind me of that," he growls. "And I have a name, though I'll keep it to myself. You can call me Drake."

"But... How... Why are you here?" you ask inarticulately.

He shrugs. "After I left you, I went looking for my family, and ran into some of these... Risen, you call them? Your little friend rescued me."

You shake your head. "You don't have to..."

"Fight for you?" he asks. "No, I don't. I'm only here because I wanted to make sure he wasn't forcing those two." He gestures to Fumiko and Harrow. "But they seem to be here of their own free will, so I figured I may as well lend you a hand. Not like I can go searching for my family until with all these damned Risen around." He laughs grimly. "Still, when that Doran guy said we were meeting some friends, I really wasn't expecting it to be you, of all people."

"Well," you say, stunned. "We're glad to have you. Just remember you're free to leave at any time."

"I know," he says with a shrug. "And I will, if you give me a reason. Just don't give me any stupid orders and we should get along fine, though."

With that, he casually strolls away, making a beeline for Zephyr. You consider following, but Rain and Doran's arrival stops you.

"Not following them?" Doran asks. "Well, it should be fine. We're here to kill this Bune thing, not slaughter an entire country's military. We can't forget our goal."

Rain nods, while Paen joins you. "While we're all here," he begins, "I have to ask. Did you get it? Falchion, that is?"

Rain gives a cheeky smile. "I'll show you mine if you show me yours." Paen is actually stunned into silence for a second, then bursts into laughter. He glances your way, and starts laughing harder. Only then do you realize you're face feels a bit flushed.

Rain rescues you by drawing Falchion from its sheath. "Impressive," Paen admits. "Sleek, clean. And it looks light."

"It's not, really," Rain responds.

Paen draws Flamberge, its dark, thick, curved design a stark contrast. He brings it up slowly, allowing it to lightly touch against Falchion. He scowls.

"Something wrong?" Doran asks.

"Grima doesn't really like me being this close to Falchion. 'Without an heir,' just in case you're worried he cares too much." You catch him steal a quick glance in your direction.

From Rain's reaction, she noticed as well. She chokes back a laugh. You can feel your face getting even redder.

It's Cynbel who comes to your rescue this time. "We're done cleaning up," he announces. "There's a village not far from here. We can take stock of things and reorganize there. Maybe even rest a bit."

"You know it?" Doran asks, fumbling for a map.

"I know it well," Cynbel answers. "We won't need a map."

"Well, then." Doran stops wrestling with the map and returns it to his coat. "Lead the way."

The trip isn't long, and it passes quickly as Doran explains how they managed to recover both Falchion and Charlotte. You remember Thrace and Adam mentioning a force heading to reclaim Antea. When you tell Doran, concern flashes across his face before he can force a smile. "Well, all we can do is take out the ones controlling the Risen and pray for their safety."

When you first catch sight of the village, it appears to be nothing more than a few abandoned houses. As you get closer, you realize the villagers are simply hiding. Windows open slightly, then close just as quickly, a few people quietly step around corners. Cynbel calls a halt in front of one house, and your forces comply. You look at Doran apprehensively, half expecting an ambush to come flooding out of the houses. Instead, a middle-aged man steps out of the nearest house, limping towards you with a simple cane. His left leg is deformed, bent at an odd angle. Cynbel walks to meet him, and the two embrace.

The two break apart, and share a few whispered words. Cynbel calls for you and Doran. Quietly, he introduces the man as his father, the head of the village. The man eyes you wearily.

Doran gives a slight bow, then extends his hand. "I am Doran, of Antea's Holy Knights."

The man extends his hand in exchange. "Aeden," he offers gruffly.

You follow Doran's example with a small curtsy. "June," you answer.

"I suppose you're here to fix what's wrong up in Altos?" he asks.

"Altos?" you whisper to Doran.

"Their capital," he answers quickly. Aeden ignores you, instead observing your army.

"Hrmph. Wish you were a few more," he complains. "But if you were able to get through those fools they posted at the bridge, you stand a chance, I suppose. Well, not much we can do for you. Offer you a bed for the night, I suppose. Everyone's pretty sick of babysitting those knights you ran off, but I figure they'll put up with you lot for a bit."

"We'll have to take a few minutes to consider your kind offer," Doran responds. "For now, we just need somewhere to catch our breath, check our supplies, and plan our next move."

"Better manners than the ones you're replacing, at least." Aeden shrugs. "As for your next move, I can already tell you. You'll find what you're looking for up in Altos."

"You're sure?" Doran asks.

"The high council hasn't left their chambers in months. I dunno what they're planning, but I doubt it'll be pretty."

Doran nods. "Thank you," he adds earnestly. Aeden nods.

Your curiosity gets the better of you. "Forgive me if I'm being rude, sir, but... Why are you helping us?"

"Think I'm betraying my country, huh?" he asks, anger subtly flaring in his voice. "Let me tell you something, young lady. I fought for this country's freedom when I was a young fool." He slaps his leg for emphasis. "And now that we've won it, the new young fools making up this council think they have to finish what we started or something." He spits. "Hell if I know why. Frankly, I don't care. Doing anything to risk our country, sending our boys off to die... Far as I'm concerned, they're the traitors."

Cynbel pats his father on the shoulder. "If you don't mind, I'd like a few moments."

"Of course," Doran says. "We won't be ready to march for a while yet."

Cynbel and Aeden turn and walk into the house, closing the door behind them. A few of the more curious villagers begin to creep out of hiding, some even speaking with your troops. You join Doran as he gathers Rain, Saul, Anna, and Paen.

Doran calls the meeting to order. "Cynbel and I laid out some routes last night, tried to figure out where the enemy is most likely to ambush us, the safest places to travel. We should be able to make it with a half-days march, even accounting for bumping into a few enemy patrols. Still, I'm sure the enemy's going to have most of their forces around Altos itself."

"What can you tell us about the city?" Paen asks.

"It's not much of a city. Not like Antea or Tartan, anyway. No giant walls, thankfully, though the back of the city overlooks a massive cliff. We won't be able to attack from that direction. Not from the ground, at least. Let's see... the population's only about 200, and there's only a handful of buildings. They're more or less laid out in a half-circle, with roads leading towards a large church in the center, backed up against the cliff."

"A church?" Saul asks.

"It used to be a major religious center for the cult of Grima," Paen answers. "After Meridia declared independence, they made it their council's headquarters."

"So, that's where we need to get?" you ask.

"Seems that way," Doran answers. "We won't be able to nail down the plan until we see the enemy, but I wanted you all to know where we're going. Just in case we get split up somehow." Doran looks thoughtful for a second. "Speaking of split up... Anna, I think this is as far as you go. We might not be able to protect a baggage train if this battle gets too far out of hand."

"I can hold my own," Anna argues. After a few seconds, she finally concedes. "But maybe not while protecting Jake and the wagons..."

"With how close we are, we shouldn't need to resupply from here on," Doran explains. "This is our last chance to arm everyone, so let's go over everything one last time."

---

CLASS CHANGES

---

Current class is listed, followed by each unit's available alternatives. If you don't want to change a unit, then vote for their current class. A unit with a * after their current class hasn't gotten all that class' skills yet - but remember you won't be able to change classes again.

June – Dark Bride
Bud – Reaver
Haley – Guardian
Wendy – Manticore Rider
Ferris – Champion
Alyssa – Whisper
Jessup – Archsage
Syrene – Champion
Agni – Warlock
Dan – Dracolord
Walt – Guardian
Jayce – Marshall
Holland – Sentinel
John – Saint
Taika – Archsage
Mary – Shadow Dancer
Fumiko – Ninetails
Charon – Whisper
Cynbel – Dread Fighter
Doran – Leader
Paen – Baron
Claudia – Dracolord
Charlotte – Templar
Saul – Shadow Knight
Rosalin – Reaver
Cecil – Wanderer
Praven – Archsage
Harrow – Wolf Priestess
Zephyr – Taguel Rex
Drake – Fire Dragon
Sherry - Cavalier

---

EQUIPMENT

---

June - Armads
Rain - Falchion
Bud - Nidhogg
Ferris - Ragnell
Syrene - Baselard
Agni - Forblaze
Taika - Dime Thunder
Mary - Goetia
Paen - Flamberge
Rose - Garm
Claudia - Wolf Beil

---

AUM STAFF

---

(A) Revive Rowan
(B) Revive Lane
(C) Revive Vine
(D) Save it

---

PLOT

---

Note: there isn't a chance of being killed in your sleep. This is just to determine the next chapter's conditions.

(1) Set out immediately (next chapter will occur at night)
(2) Rest a while (next chapter will occur in the morning under fog)
(3) Rest for the night (next chapter will occur in the day)

---

SUPPORTS

---

Charlotte/Saul S
Fumiko/Doran S
Sherry/Zephyr B
Harrow/Cynbel B
Sherry/June B
Charon/Sherry C
Agni/Taika A
John/Fumiko A
Bud/Jessup B
Rain/Doran A
Dan/Wendy A
Paen/Claudia B
Doran/Charlotte B
Holland/Charlotte B
Drake/Harrow B

You decide to stay the night and set off first thing in the morning. Being able to hide in the fog or darkness isn't worth the risk of an enemy ambush. Aeden helps find everyone a place to stay, asking the other villagers to open their homes. A few of your troops are lucky enough to find a bed for the night, while the rest of you at least have a warm barn to look forward to.

Anna and Jake set up shop in the barn and spend several hours going over everyone's equipment, making sure everyone has steel, silver, and better weaponry. Anna passes out fresh gear and healing items while Jake hones the edges of as many weapons as he can. The two work together getting armor together for a few of your people that are changing class.

Bud heads into barn and comes out a few minutes later with a heavy jacket on, complete with spiked shoulder pads. "This feels a bit ridiculous," you hear him muttering to himself. He notices Jessup, trying to fit several different staves into his pack, sitting nearby. "What do you think, Jess?"

"Hm?" he asks, looking up from his pack confused. "Think? About what?"

"The new outfit," Bud responds, subtlety flexing his muscles.

"Oh. Um... It's fine," Jessup answers, not really looking.

Bud walks over and crouches down next to him. "Something wrong?"

"Just a bit nervous," Jessup answers. "I mean, this is it, isn't it? Do or... die?"

"Nah, don't think like that. We're gonna win tomorrow, and then we'll start patchin' up all the damage that's been done."

"Yeah..." Jessup answers nervously.

"You're really worried, huh?" Bud asks. "Y'know you don't hafta come, right? You've already done plenty."

Jessup shakes his head. "No, I... I have to come. I can't abandon you all now. There's no one who can take my place, right? I mean, we have other healers, but we can't afford to be losing people because they're scared, can we?"

"...Hey, just stick close to ol' Bud, alright? Ain't no one gonna mess with you while I'm around."

"Thanks," Jessup responds. "But promise you'll drop back if you get hurt, OK?"

"Hey, Charlotte, got a minute?" Doran asks, motioning to a secluded barn stall.

"Um... D-Doran. No, I'm... I mean, yes, I have a minute," she manages to answer, following him inside.

"How're you doing today?" he asks.

"Ah... A bit better than before," she answers. "I feel a bit... better every day. More old. Um... Like my old self."

"Still don't remember what happened back in Antea?"

"I went to the mountains, and found... found... some... something..." Charlotte rubs her head. "It hurts to think about... The next thing was Saul. I don't... I don't even know how long happened between things."

"It's alright, don't push yourself too hard," Doran reassures her. "By the way, do you remember further back? Say, when we were all training together?"

"Y-yes?" Charlotte answers hesitantly at first. "No, I... yes, I do. With you, Rain, and Holland. Before Saul was archbishop. I... I remember. We were friends, even back then. Then you and Rain were assigned so far away, in... um..."

"Trine," Doran offers. "But you remember further back, as well? Before we met?"

Charlotte thinks for a minute. When she answers, she seems unusually lucid. "I... I haven't thought about that in a long time. But, yes. I remember my parents, and my childhood friends, my home..."

Doran nods. "Good. That's good. Hold onto that."

"OK. Um... Thanks," Charlotte answers. A few tears begin forming in the corners of her eyes. "Can I... have a few minutes alone?"

"Oh... er... sure. I'll just..." Doran scratches his head for a second, before walking off awkwardly.

As he leaves the stall, he bumps into Rain, standing with her arms crossed and a stern expression on her face. "What did you do?" she asks.

"W-what?" Doran replies.

"What did you do?" Rain repeats herself. "I saw you and Charlotte heading this way, so I followed you in case you said something stupid." Rain glances over Doran's shoulder. "And now she's in there crying. So, what did you do?"

"N-nothing!" Doran answers. "I just asked her if she could remember back when we were in training."

Rain's expression softens. "And?"

"She said she remembers the four of us being friends. And she says she remembers before she started training, as well. So, I guess her memory's intact, aside from... whatever happened to her."

Rain sighs. "I'm sure she'll be fine, eventually."

"Yeah," Doran agrees. "...Heh. Do you remember that time we left a training dummy outside her room?"

Rain looks confused for a second, then giggles. "Oh, right. And she screamed loud enough to wake the commander? By the time he got there, she'd already smashed it into little pieces. Then there was the time with the soup..."

"Oh, I thought Holland was going to kill us after he had to shave his beard!" Doran laughs for a bit, then sighs. "It seems like all that was so long ago."

"It was," Rain reminds him. "We're no spring chickens."

Doran smirks. "Never thought I'd hear you admitting your age."

Rain playfully smacks him. "Yeah, well. We're staring down the end of the world, y'know."

Doran's expression hardens. "Yep." After a minute, he shrugs. "Well, nothing for it but to win tomorrow, right?"

Rain smiles. "Right."

"Hey, June?" You turn around to find Sherry coming your way, carrying a large bundle of cloth. "Could you give me a hand with this?"

"What is 'this?'" you ask, pointing at the bundle.

"Some heavier armor," she answers. "After I got... hurt in the last fight, I figured I need a little more than my guard uniform."

"It may slow you down a bit," you warn. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure! I'm not a little girl, y'know!" You can tell there's no point arguing, so you find a house and ask the occupant to lend you a room for a few moments.

As you help her change into her new plate, she looks at the holes in her old armor wistfully.

"Are you doing OK?" you ask. "You got hit pretty hard."

"Huh? Oh, yeah. The old man did a good job."

"Where did you get this armor, anyway?" you ask, tightening a strap on her leg.

"It was my father's," she answers. "He... lent it to me."

You can tell she's holding something back, but you're not sure whether to press the issue. You decide on a slightly different line of questioning. "So, your father was a knight?"

"Yeah," Sherry answers. "A good one."

"I bet he's proud of you, joining the guard and all."

"Yeah..." Sherry answers, obviously a bit uncomfortable. "Can we talk about something else?"

"Er... OK." It must be a sore subject. "Anyway, we're just about done. How's it feel?"

The armor's clearly designed for someone much larger, but it looks like Jake made some modifications to it. Sherry stretches a bit, and the armor moves like it should. She takes a few steps, and nothing falls off. "It's heavier than my old armor, but I feel a lot more protected. It's going to take some getting used to, but I like it."

You nod. "Good. It's thicker than your old set, but don't expect it to save you from everything. You still need to avoid as much as you can. And watch out for mages!"

"Obviously!" Sherry answer, annoyed. "Now I just need a horse." She casually strolls outside, and you follow her.

"Right, a... a horse?"

"Yeah, a horse! This is cavalier's armor, and a cavalier needs something to ride!"

"Do you... do you know how to ride a horse?" you ask.

"How hard can it be?" she responds.

"Not all that hard, if you have the right horse," you explain. "But if you've never done it before, it's going to take some time. Especially if you're swinging weapons around and trying not to get hit."

"I can help with that," a voice behind you says. You turn to see Aeden, leaning on his cane. "My old warhorse is around here, somewhere. Sure he'd be able to handle carting around a rookie."

"Or maybe I can help!" Zephyr tackles Sherry from behind, knocking her to the ground.

"Ah?" is the only thing she manages to say before being a wall of rock covers the pair. A burst of light appears, and the rocks burst apart. Zephyr leaps into the air, spinning in a tight ball.

He lands on the ground, Sherry clinging tightly to his back. "How's this?" he asks.

"Ugh... Dizzy..." Sherry mutters.

"Hang on tight!" Zephyr yells, ignoring her.

"Huh? Wai-" Sherry gets cut off by Zephyr taking off running, jumping, and zigzagging down the road, Sherry yelling all the while. Aeden stands with his mouth open, staring, clearly taken aback. You, on the other hand, have to keep yourself from laughing.

Finally, Zephyr slows to a stop. "So, what do you think?" he asks. "More maneuverable than a horse, and you don't have to worry about telling me where to go!"

Sherry, still mounted on his back, takes a minute to breath. "This... is..."

(A) STUPID!
(B) Pretty good, actually... (unlocks Taguel Rider class - lvl 1: Dual Strike+ lvl 10: Canto)

---

Sherry was promoted to Taguel Rider!

---

"This is pretty good, actually..." Sherry admits.

"Wait, really?" Zephyr asks, his voice distorted. "I was actually just teasing you..."

"Oh, were you now? You would tease a poor, innocent little girl like me?" Sherry feigns distress. "Or maybe you're calling me heavy?"

Zephyr shakes his shoulders a bit. "Well, I wouldn't even notice you riding on my back. But that armor's a little..."

"Oh, I thought you were a big, strong taguel," Sherry taunts.

"Of course I am!" Zephyr answers. "Well, fine. If you really want to try this, let's give it a shot!"

"OK!" Sherry answers. "Let's get some practice in before dinner." She pulls a lance from her pack and points it toward the forest. "Onward!"

"So, Claudia, are you ready for tomorrow?" Paen asks. Paen had just finished his preparations for the coming fight when Claudia barged into his room to check up on him.

"Of course, sire!" Claudia answers.

"Glad to hear it. Take the night off," Paen replies, with a wave of his hand.

"I couldn't, milord. Not this deep in enemy territory."

"Bah! Let the sentries worry about that."

"But-"

Paen cuts her off. "Tomorrow's going to be the roughest fight we'll ever see. Maybe I'll even be satisfied by the time we're done. So, just in case, go spend the night with your knight in shining armor."

"Sire, I couldn't neglect my duty like that..." Claudia protests, though clearly tempted.

"It's an order, not a request. You've given me years of loyal service. I think you've taken less than two weeks leave since I made you my protector."

"Eight days, milord."

"As I said. And how long ago did I take you in?"

"I was... We were still children. At least ten years."

Paen crosses his arms. "Exactly. You're not the only member of my guards, and we've plenty of talented soldiers around us here. It's fine if you rely on the others from time to time."

"Sire, I..." Claudia bites her lip.

"Yes?"

Claudia looks down. "I just don't want to be alone again. Like before I met you..."

Paen takes a deep breath. "Claudia." He puts a hand on her shoulder. She looks up. "It's different now. You don't just have me. You have Dan, and I'd like to think you've made some friends here. So you don't have to worry about that, alright?"

Claudia nods. "Yes, milord... Thank you."

"Now." Paen crosses his arms again. "You can spend the night watching over me, as usual. Or, you can go spend the evening with your friends, and the night with your lover. Just make sure you're not too exhausted for tomorrow's fight."

Claudia blushes, clear on her pale cheeks. "I... Yes, sire. I'll see you in the morning." With that, Claudia turns and heads out the door. She makes a beeline for the barn. She finds Dan out back, tending his wyvern with Wendy.

"So, how does he look?" Dan asks.

"Again, I'm not an expert on wyverns, but I can't find anything wrong with him."

"I know something's wrong, I just can't put my finger on it..." Dan pats Shard on the snout.

"Maybe he's upset that he hasn't been able to go hunting lately?" Shard turns to look at Wendy, snorting at her.

"That's why you've been in a bad mood?" Dan asks. "Shard! We've got plenty of salted meat for you."

"He's probably not hungry or anything. He probably just wants the exercise. Or enjoys the thrill of the hunt or something." Shard throws his head back and lets out a screech. "I'm guessing I hit the nail on the head?"

"Looks like it."

"Why don't we run some drills, then? Maybe that'll help. Let him chase after my manticore for a bit."

"Better than nothing," Dan answers. "I never would have figured this out. Thanks for the help."

"Hey, um... Do you remember that promise you made?" Wendy asks nervously. Claudia feels her heart skip a beat.

"Er... No. Sorry." Dan answers.

"You said I could ride Shard," Wendy states matter-of-factly. Claudia breathes a sigh of relief.

Dan sighs. "Well, I guess now's a good a time as any. From what I've seen, he flies about the same as your pegasus. Just remember he can't turn as sharp. And it takes him longer to get up to speed."

"Got it!" Wendy cheers, already halfway onto Shard's back.

"Listen to her," Dan whispers to Shard. "But make sure she doesn't do anything stupid."

"What was that?" Wendy asks.

"I said 'take care of him.'" Dan lies.

"Of course! Alright, Shard, let's go!" With that, Wendy awkwardly steer Shard into the sky. Her manticore leaps off ahead, and Wendy wheels around, trying to chase him.

Claudia waits until Wendy starts to shrink into the distance to speak with Dan.

"Fumiko?" John calls, searching the perimeter. After several minutes of searching, he finally finds her.

"John!" Fumiko answers. "I was hoping to talk to you."

"Oh?" he asks.

"I wanted to thank you for taking such good care of my daughter," she explains. "So, thank you."

"Oh... Of course. Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about. Uh, your daughter, that is."

"Oh?" Fumiko asks, raising an eyebrow.

"I wanted to ask... um... well... er... I want your blessing to ask your daughter to marry me!" John blurts.

"I can't do that, I'm afraid," Fumiko answers.

"Wha-? But..." John stutters.

"Not yet, anyway." Fumiko continues. "She'll come of age in two months. You can ask her then, and not before."

"Oh... For a second, I thought you meant you didn't want me to." John breathes a sigh of relief.

"She could do worse," Fumiko shrugs. "You've shown you can change your mind about things. That you can grow as a person. You're a completely different person than you were a month ago."

"Yes, I suppose I am..." John agrees.

Fumiko giggles softly. "Well, looks like Mary's birthday's going to be fun... But first we have to make it that far, hm?"

"Right," John answers. A look of determination crosses his face. "I won't let anything come close..."

"Charlotte? You OK in here? It's almost time for dinner," Holland announces, slipping into the barn stall. "Rain asked me to check on you while she yells at Doran."

"Holland?" Charlotte answers, sitting on a bale of hay. "Yes, I'm... I'm fine. Just thinking. Thinking about the past."

"Oh? Anything in particular?"

"Not really," Charlotte shrugs. "It's like a... floodgate? Floodgate. Everything I remember makes me remember more and more."

"Oh? Well, that's good, isn't it?" Holland strokes his beard.

"Mostly. There's some b-bad memories, but it's mostly good. When we were training, some stuff from when I was... from before then."

"Ho?"

"I remember the first time we met. Before you grew your-"

Holland reflexively shields his beard. "Don't say it. Those were dark times."

Charlotte stifles a laugh. "I'd forgotten what you look like un-under there. Almost presentable."

Holland stiffens. "I'll have you know I'm far beyond 'presentable,' Char..." He trails off, looking thoughtful.

"S-something wrong?" Charlotte asks, leaping up.

"No, I just don't remember the last time I heard you laughing. It's been... years."

Charlotte straightens up. "I was in charge of the country's eli... elite forces. You have to present a certain image."

Holland pats her on the back. "Well, don't worry about lightening up when it's just us, got it?"

"I'll try," Charlotte nods. "But it's not just something you can turn on and o-o-off."

"Good enough," Holland announces, guiding Charlotte out of the stall. "Now, it's time for dinner."

The villagers don't have much food stockpiled, but they manage to put together a decent meal for you. Aeden joins you, and a few of the braver villagers follow his example. You try to find a quiet spot to eat alone with your thoughts, but with no luck.

Harrow takes a seat next to Drake, gnawing on a hunk of salted meat. "So, sticking around for tomorrow?" she asks.

Drake puts down his bread to stare at her for a second. "I suppose so. These Risen are as much a problem for me and my clan as the rest of you, so I better make sure you don't fail."

"It sounds like you don't have much faith in us."

"Well, your group seems... surprisingly competent for a bunch of beorc."

"A high compliment, coming from you. So, tell me more of this 'clan' of yours."

Drake's eyes narrow suspiciously. "And why do you want to know?"

Harrow shrugs as she rips another chunk from her meat. "Call it idle curiosity. Family's a thing that people chat about when there's nothing else, isn't it?"

"I suppose," Drake admits. "Though they aren't my family, as you'd call it. Only my father and brother are blood relatives. The rest are just... friends, I suppose."

"If it's anything like my pack, you're a lot closer than just friends," Harrow points out.

Drake shrugs. "I'm willing to fight an army of Risen so I can find them again, so you tell me."

Harrow smiles. "As it should be. So, are you planning to take off searching as soon as we finish up here?"

"More or less," Drake answers. "I'll stay long enough to grab some supplies, at least."

Harrow finishes the last of her meat. "Well, in case I don't get a chance, I wish you luck."

Drake hesitates for a second. "Thanks," he finally replies.

Sensing the conversation is over, Harrow nods, smiles, and leaves Drake to finish his meal. She wanders aimlessly for a bit before noticing Cynbel sitting alone in a corner, staring a half-eaten plate of food. She hesitates for a second, then walks up to him.

"Not hungry?" she asks.

"Hm?" Cynbel snaps out of his daze. "Oh. No, I don't have much of an appetite."

Harrow takes a seat next to him. "It's not like you to be nervous before a battle."

"It's not that I'm nervous, I'm just... ill," he answers.

"Ill?" Harrow starts to pull a staff from her pack. "I'll see what I can do."

"Not like that," Cynbel answers. "Seeing my homeland in this state... This fog is vile. Unnatural."

"Unnatural?" Harrow asks.

"Fog is common around here," Cynbel explains. "But this is different. I can't quite explain how."

"I've never seen fog before coming here," Harrow admits. "But it does feel rather eerie."

"Normally, it has an... ethereal beauty. But not anymore. The animals have all fled. The livestock that hasn't managed to escape is silent all the time. Even the trees seem withdrawn. There should still be some leaves yet to fall, but look. Every tree is completely bare." Harrow remains silent, unsure what to say. Cynbel looks her in the eye. "I'm going to find whatever's perverting this land and destroy it, he says resolutely."

"Well, you won't have to do it alone," Harrow assures him. "You've got us all beside you."

Cynbel tries to thank her, but he's cut off by cheering from the center of the room. Charon is twirling in place, then suddenly stops to grab a young woman from the gathered villagers. She protests weakly even as she follows him to the center of the room. He guides her through a brief, shuffling dance, before sending her twirling back into the audience and moving on to his next victim. More of the villagers come to find the source of the racket, only to be drawn in as well. Charon's performance goes on for several minutes, until Charon exhausts most of the crowd and a few of your more willing troops. He even attempts to bring Aeden out, only to be met with a smack from his cane, to the delight of the audience.

Finally, he performs his finale, leaping into the air with a twirl and a flip and landing in a triumphant pose. The entire room erupts with applause. Charon, panting, takes the first seat he can find. Everyone's mood seems greatly improved after his performance. People happily chat with their neighbors, their friends, complete strangers. While everyone had only been talking about the coming battle before, people now speak of the future, the past, their families and friends.

Sherry wanders over and slips next to Charon. "What was all that about?" she asks.

"I just felt like lightening the mood a bit," he answers, still breathing heavily.

"By dancing?"

"How else?" Charon asks in return. "I can't give fancy speeches like some of our captains. I don't have any fancy magic tricks. All I have is my dancing."

"But how does that help anyone? You're just twirling around and stuff," Sherry presses.

Charon shrugs. "Don't ask me how it works. People just respond to it. Maybe they sense my burning passion or something like that?"

"That's ridiculous."

"Isn't it?" Charon answers with a laugh. "But you can't argue with the results!"

Sherry surveys the room, noticing the change in atmosphere. She crosses her arms. "I don't get it."

"What's there to get? Dancing isn't about 'getting' anything, it's about what you feel. Just letting go and giving in to the rhythm. You should try it some time!"

"I'll pass," Sherry answers. "I mean, I'll leave it to the professionals."

Agni turns to Taika. "Charon's dancing is impressive, yes?"

"He moves pretty well," she answers. "Kinda makes me wish I'd taken up dancing."

"You? A dancer?" Agni smirks. "Well, maybe. But I am thinking you make a better sage."

"Ha-ha." Taika shoves him playfully, then looks thoughtful. "So, if you hadn't decided to become a sage, what would you have done?"

"Hm?"

"If you hadn't met Master Praven, what would you be doing right now?"

"I... can't say I've spend time thinking about this," Agni replies. "And you?"

"Maybe I would have been a dancer. But more than likely, I'd have followed in my parents' footsteps and been a trader."

"Mm. I like to hope I would still study magic. Maybe working as a library. Er... The library person."

"Librarian? Or a scribe, perhaps?" Taika suggests.

"Scribe... Writing magic tomes. Or maybe other books. Yes, this could be a good life, if I weren't... this."

"I could see you surrounded by a bunch of stuffy old books."

"And I could see you haggle people from around every to the death day in and day out." Agni grins.

The sun sets, leaving the ground barely illuminated by a crescent moon. The party slowly dies down, and Doran calls for everyone's attention. "Alright, everyone! You know what we're up against tomorrow. You've all fought Risen before, and you've seen the Meridian army stand to oppose us." He leaps up onto a bale of hay. "We're outnumbered, likely surrounded, and we have almost no hope of reinforcements! But we have two advantages. First, we know exactly where the enemy is and what we need to do, so we'll be able to take the initiative. Second, we know exactly what's at stake! Our countrymen are counting on us! So we're going to march into the enemy's headquarters, find the source of the Risen, and destroy it! We will not fail!"

A cheer erupts from the crowd. You notice Paen, an amused smile on his face, applauding loudly. Charlotte hesitates at first, then adds her voice to the crowd. Even Jessup seems fired up. While you scan the crowd, you feel a sudden tug on your wrist. Before you can react, Rain shoves you up beside Doran. Everyone falls silent, waiting for you to speak. This is different than giving commands in battle...

"Um... I don't really know what to say." You can feel yourself turning red. The silence stretches out uncomfortably long before you realize what you want to say. "We're all lost friends and family on the way here. We've been hurt, had to endure fight after fight. So... Thank you. Thank you all for staying by my side, even knowing the risks. We couldn't have gotten here without working together, without trusting each other. So, come tomorrow, stay together. Watch each other's backs. Don't do anything crazy. I want to see all of you again when we celebrate our victory tomorrow night!"

Another cheer. Doran lets the adulation go on for a few seconds before again calling for silence. "All right everyone, get to sleep! Aeden's taking care of the watch for us, so there's no excuse for you to be tired tomorrow!"

---

Doran chooses to set up his tent, leaving the others to sleep in the barn or, for a lucky few, the handful of beds the village could spare. Doran spreads several maps out on the floor, pouring over every possible approach to the enemy stronghold, looking for every possible ambush point along the road. He's so focused, he doesn't hear Fumiko calling him until she pokes her head through the tent flap.

"Doran?"

"Hm? Oh... Hello, Fumiko. Sorry, I didn't hear you coming. Need something?"

Fumiko looks down, then takes a deep breath. "I want to talk to you about the Aum staff."

Doran freezes, worried about what she may ask. He tries to hide his concern, nodding. "...OK."

"I want..." Fumiko bites her lip, working up her courage. "I want you to promise not to bring Vine back."

Doran blinks, starts to speak but stops himself, sensing Fumiko has more to say.

"I miss him, I really do, but... he wouldn't want it. He'd say it goes against the natural order of things. Even if he didn't, he'd tell you to use it for someone else instead. That's... just who he was. I've already spoken with Mary, and she agrees, as well."

"I see," Doran says. He gives a small nod. "Alright. You have my word."

Fumiko manages a weak smile. "Thank you." She turns to leave.

"Ah, Fumiko? I can't pretend to know what you're going through, but if you ever want to... talk or if there's something I can do for you, just... let me know."

She stops. "I'd like that." She turns, wiping a tear from her eyes. "Is... Is now a bad time?"

Doran hesitates, then shakes his head and starts rolling up maps. "No, I'm finished for the night."

"Good," Fumiko says, stepping closer. "Mary and John are busy talking, and I don't want to bother them. But I really don't want to be alone, either."

"You can stay as long as you want," Doran assures her. "And I certainly appreciate the company, as well. So, what do you want to talk about?"

"I don't really feel like talking," Fumiko answers. She stretches to wrap an arm around Doran's neck, suddenly pulling him into a kiss.

After a few seconds, Doran pulls back. "I'm... not sure this is a good idea."

Fumiko pulls him closer, resting her head on his chest. "It's definitely not a good idea," she tells him. "But do we really care?"

Doran smiles and returns her embrace. "I suppose not."

---

Saul finds Charlotte sitting outside against a tree, staring up at the moon. "How are you feeling?"

She looks over her shoulder and smiles. "Saul... I remember now."

"I heard. Your memories are coming back?"

"Very quickly," Charlotte nods. "And I remember... I remember what happened then."

"Then? You mean..."

"Yes. When I went into the mountains. I saw... I saw things."

"What sort of things?" Saul asks, sitting beside her.

"It was a... I don't know. Some kind of... d-demons? Maybe? Like nothing I'd ever seen or heard of be-before..."

"Don't force it," Saul warns her.

Charlotte shakes her head, trying to clear it. "O-only one thing matters. There was... there was something strong. Really strong. A monster. It... It gave me power. A lot of power."

"Charlotte..."

"After that, the Risen started avoiding me. I fought a few, but I..." Charlotte's voice trails off.

"It hurts, doesn't it?" Saul asks. Charlotte looks up in surprise. "I watch you when you're fighting, you know. And you've been coming back with strange wounds, wounds where you were never even hit." Saul takes her arm and pulls up her sleeve, revealing a scar on her forearm. "Wounds that even I can't heal easily..."

Charlotte gently pulls her arm back, and Saul lets her go. "You're right. It hurts."

Saul takes her hand again. "You don't have to keep fighting if it's... Who am I kidding? We both know that's not going to happen."

Charlotte nods, gripping his hand tighter. "It's my duty to protect our country. And I... I want to protect you, most of all. So I can't sit back and let you go alone."

Saul shakes his head, smiling. "I know exactly how you feel, because there's someone I want to protect, too. So promise you won't push yourself too hard. For me?"

Charlotte looks over, surprised. She nods. "I promise."

The two sit in silence for a few minutes, enjoying the night sky. Saul finally breaks the quiet. "Do you remember when we first met?"

Saul laughs. "Barely. The first few days after the council chose me as the next archbishop, I was so overwhelmed. I do remember when they introduced you as the head of the Holy Knights you scared me a bit."

Charlotte covers her mouth. "I can see that. I remember how surprised I was that you were so young, I probably didn't come across as very friendly."

"I'm counting on you to still be by my side after this is over," Saul informs her.

"I will be," Charlotte promises. "But..."

"I know. We've got to rebuild Valeria before we can worry about us."

"I'm glad you agree." Charlotte leans against him.

"You're speaking more clearly." Saul points out.

"I'm feeling... much better," Charlotte agrees.

---

Charlotte's ? skill revealed to be Cursed Strength!
Deal increased damage. Further increased against Risen. Chance to injure self.

---

One last vote before the chapter's over. It's time to choose the last of the skills June will get from her supports.

(A) Bud - Deadeye
(B) Haley - Deliverer
(C) Wendy - Tantivy
(D) Ferris - Vantage
(E) Alyssa - Shade
(F) Mary – Tomebreaker

---

END OF CHAPTER 21